Synopses & Reviews
The future of our food depends on tiny seeds in orchards and fields the world over. In 1943, one of the first to recognize this fact, the great botanist Nikolay Vavilov, lay dying of starvation in a Soviet prison. But in the years before Stalin jailed him as a scapegoat for the countryandrsquo;s famines, Vavilov had traveled over five continents, collecting hundreds of thousands of seeds in an effort to outline the ancient centers of agricultural diversity and guard against widespread hunger. Now, another remarkable scientistandmdash;and vivid storytellerandmdash;has retraced his footsteps.
and#160;
In Where Our Food Comes From, Gary Paul Nabhan weaves together Vavilovandrsquo;s extraordinary story with his own expeditions to Earthandrsquo;s richest agricultural landscapes and the cultures that tend them. Retracing Vavilovandrsquo;s path from Mexico and the Colombian Amazon to the glaciers of the Pamirs in Tajikistan, he draws a vibrant portrait of changes that have occurred since Vavilovandrsquo;s time and why they matter.
and#160;
In his travels, Nabhan shows how climate change, free trade policies, genetic engineering, and loss of traditional knowledge are threatening our food supply. Through discussions with local farmers, visits to local outdoor markets, and comparison of his own observations in eleven countries to those recorded in Vavilovandrsquo;s journals and photos, Nabhan reveals just how much diversity has
already been lost. But he also shows what resilient farmers and scientists in many regions are doing to save the remaining living riches of our world.
and#160;
It is a cruel irony that Vavilov, a man who spent his life working to foster nutrition, ultimately died from lack of it. In telling his story, Where Our Food Comes From brings to life the intricate relationships among culture, politics, the land, and the future of the worldandrsquo;s food.
Review
andquot;Ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan has created something here as original as a new species: a book that is equal parts biography, pilgrimage, research, and revelation. Led around the planet by the ghost of his scientific and spiritual muse, Nabhan in turn leads us to a course of action we can actually perform: demand the food we were meant to eat. This moving, often harrowing, always eloquent account shows that by putting humanity back into ecology and vice-versa, much of this world could and would fall back into place.andquot;
Review
andquot;Biology has its true martyr in N.I. Vavilov, starved to death by Stalin and his henchmen for his rich and necessary insights plus his indefatigable work devoted to discovering, cataloguing and storing the diversity among and within crop plants. By traveling himself, Gary Nabhan has given us a narrative of Vavilovand#39;s physical and intellectual journey sure to keep readers up past bedtime.andquot;
Review
andquot;A riveting account of an extraordinary Russian plant scientist who traveled five continents in search of crop diversity and its importance in staving off famine, told by a master scientist and storyteller of today. Shining through the travels of both is a critical insight: that safeguarding our food supply depends ultimately on our ability to preserve the vitality of diverse cultures the world over.andquot;
Review
andquot;Where Our Food Comes From is an urgent reminder that we must work to save not only the seeds that feed us but the farmers who grow and select themandmdash;those and#39;vernacular plant breedersand#39; on whom the long-term vitality of those seeds and a diverse agriculture depends.andquot;
Review
andquot;The book pays homage to a martyr who understood that crop varieties must be preserved for the future food security of the human race. As Nabhan points out, the risk today is no less than in Vavilovand#39;s time, and it may be greater.andquot;
Review
"Where Our Food Comes From is an urgent reminder that we must work to save not only the seeds that feed us but the farmers who grow and select them--those "vernacular plant breeders" on whom the long-term vitality of those seeds and a diverse agriculture depends."
Review
andquot;Where Our Food Comes From is a marked critique of the worldwide simplification of agricultural systems. It pins its hopes on local, traditional agriculture and is sceptical of top-down approaches to increasing food production, such as calls for another and#39;green revolutionand#39;.andquot;
Review
andquot;Equal parts travelog, biography and botanical history, Nabhan breathes life into the exploits of Russiaand#39;s botanical adventurer.andquot;
Review
andquot;In this incredible tale that leaves you wanting more, Nabhan spices up his narrative with sprinkles of historical detail, and shows historyand#39;s impact on food production and, subsequently, the food security of nationsandhellip;part history book, part travelogue, and part detailed scientific explanation of why our planetand#39;s survival depends on maintaining and guarding the biodiversity of plant life. Not one of these ingredients is any less appealing than the others. Dig in and enjoy it.andquot;
Review
andquot;A blend of travelogue and biography, Nabhanand#39;s book is a sobering reminder that while food is necessary for our survival, it is not always easy to come by, nor is access to food completely under our control.andquot;
Review
"Any book with ethnobotanist Nabhan's name on it is going to be worth a read but this one's a grabber. A thriller, a tragedy and self-help—all in one."
Review
andquot;In this beautifully told nonfiction narrative, Nabhan shows how climate change, economics, genetic engineering, and tiny seeds all over the world will affect our future.andquot;
Review
Fascinating look at the origins of our fo Yahoo Green
Review
andquot;In this part travelogue, part history, and part treatise, Nabhan ... eloquently describes how current agricultural practices may be helping to erase the diversity that Vavilov was so anxious to preserve...This work would be an excellent resource for discussions and debates.andquot;
Review
andquot;9 Must Read Books on Eating Wellandquot;
Review
andquot;Gary Nabhanand#39;s travels in the footsteps of the brilliant Nikolay Vavilov make for fascinating reading. But this book is more than a journey into the past; it is look at the future. Vavilovand#39;s compelling ideas about famine and Nabhanand#39;s exploration of current threats to our food supplyandmdash;from climate change to loss of biodiversityandmdash;make Where Our Food Comes From a must-read.andquot;
Review
andquot;Mixing the compulsively readable insights of a well-researched biography with the painstaking details of a scientific treatise, Nabhan offers a historical and contemporary framework for determining the viability of sustainable agriculture.andquot;
Review
andquot;Fascinating look at the origins of our food and shows how climate change, free trade policies, genetic engineering, and loss of traditional knowledge are threatening our food supply.andquot;
Review
" 9 Must Read Books on Eating Well"
Treehugger
Review
andquot;Any book with ethnobotanist Nabhanand#39;s name on it is going to be worth a read but this oneand#39;s a grabber. A thriller, a tragedy and self-helpandmdash;all in one.andquot;
Synopsis
The future of our food depends on tiny seeds in orchards and fields the world over. In 1943, one of the first to recognize this fact, the great botanist Nikolay Vavilov, lay dying of starvation in a Soviet prison. But in the years before Stalin jailed him as a scapegoat for the countryand#8217;s famines, Vavilov had traveled over five continents, collecting hundreds of thousands of seeds in an effort to outline the ancient centers of agricultural diversity and guard against widespread hunger. Now, another remarkable scientistand#8212;and vivid storytellerand#8212;has retraced his footsteps. and#160; In Where Our Food Comes From, Gary Paul Nabhan weaves together Vavilovand#8217;s extraordinary story with his own expeditions to Earthand#8217;s richest agricultural landscapes and the cultures that tend them. Retracing Vavilovand#8217;s path from Mexico and the Colombian Amazon to the glaciers of the Pamirs in Tajikistan, he draws a vibrant portrait of changes that have occurred since Vavilovand#8217;s time and why they matter.
Synopsis
The future of our food depends on tiny seeds in orchards and fields the world over. In 1943, one of the first to recognize this fact, the great botanist Nikolay Vavilov, lay dying of starvation in a Soviet prison. But in the years before Stalin jailed him as a scapegoat for the countryand#8217;s famines, Vavilov had traveled over five continents, collecting hundreds of thousands of seeds in an effort to outline the ancient centers of agricultural diversity and guard against widespread hunger. Now, another remarkable scientistand#151;and vivid storytellerand#151;has retraced his footsteps.and#160;In Where Our Food Comes From, Gary Paul Nabhan weaves together Vavilovand#8217;s extraordinary story with his own expeditions to Earthand#8217;s richest agricultural landscapes and the cultures that tend them. Retracing Vavilovand#8217;s path from Mexico and the Colombian Amazon to the glaciers of the Pamirs in Tajikistan, he draws a vibrant portrait of changes that have occurred since Vavilovand#8217;s time and why they matter.
About the Author
Gary Paul Nabhan is a world-renowned ethnobiologist, conservationist, andand#160;essayist. The author of
Why Some Like It Hot,
Coming Home to Eat, and many other books and articles, he has been honored with a MacArthur and#147;Geniusand#8221; Fellowship and The John Burroughs Medal for nature writing. Founder and facilitator of the Renewing Americaand#8217;s Food Traditions collaborative, he is currently a Research Social Scientist at the Southwest Center at the University of Arizona. See www.garynabhan.com to track his lecture and photo exhibit schedules.
Table of Contents
Foreword \ Ken Wilson
Chapter 1. The Art Museum and the Seed Bank
Chapter 2. The Hunger Artist and the Horn of Plenty
Chapter 3. Melting Glaciers and Waves of Grain: The Pamirs
Chapter 4. Drought and the Decline of Variety: The Po Valley
Chapter 5. From Breadbasket to Basket Case: The Levant
Chapter 6. Date Palm Oases and Desert Crops: The Maghreb
Chapter 7. Finding Food in Famineand#8217;s Wake: Ethiopia
Chapter 8. Apples and Boomtown Growth: Kazakhstan
Chapter 9. Rediscovering America and Surviving the Dust Bowl: The U.S. Southwest
Chapter10. Logged Forests and Lost Seeds: The Sierra Amazon
Chapter 11. Deep into the Tropical Forests of the Amazon
Chapter 12. The Last Expedition
Epilogue
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index